Car-coupling



(No Model.) 's'. J, 'ROSSMAN.

GAR COUPLING. K

Patented June 27, 1882.

Lllhc nphur walhin lun. D. c,

' UNITED, STATES PATENT -OFFIGE.

SAMUEL J. ROSSMAN, OF TERRE HAUTE, INDIANA.

CAR-COUPLING.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters latent No. 260,052, dated June 27, 1882.

Application filed April :29, 1882.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, SAMUEL J. RossMAN, of Terre Haute, in the county of Vi go and State of Indiana, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Oar-Couplers and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, and to letters of reference marked thereon, which forms a part of this specification.

Heretofore it has been the custom, when coupling railway-cars with the ordinary coupling, consisting of draw-heads, link, and pin, to hold the link in the hand until the drawheads are a very short distance apart and then drop the pin through the link, thus necessitating the placing of the body between the colliding cars and subjecting the person so engaged to great danger. This objection applies equally to many other and more complicated devices claiming to be superior to the common coupling.

The object of my invention is principally to avoid this danger and render the simple and common coupling as effective as the most complicated ones. As it is very simple in construction, it is capable of easy adjustment to an old or new coupling. This I accomplishby means of a truncated cone or egg-shaped head affixed to the end of a lever which holds the outer end of the link on a horizontal line with the other end while the cars are approaching, and which is forced downward by the collision of the draw-heads, substantially as described in the following specification, and illustrated in the drawing, in which the figure is a side elevation of my invention, showing the mode of its application.

. In the drawing, A represents the outlines of a car, and B represents a draw-head with a pin, b, and link a. The draw-head is attached to the end of the car in the ordinary and proper manner, and has projecting downward from the under surface, near the inner end, a lug, c, to which is pivoted the end of the lever D. Said spring pursues alongitudinal and slightly downward course to a point just beyond and below the mouth of said draw-head, where it takes a vertical course'and terminates in a (No model.)

truncated cone or egg-shaped head, D, just in front of the lower part of the mouth of said draw-head. Projecting downward from the under surface of said draw-head, at a point between the mouth of the same and the lug c, is a vertical guide, 0, having a slot in it of a width sufficient for the lever D to move in. This guide is principally to prevent the lever from moving laterally, thus keeping the truncated cone in its proper position in front of the mouth of the draw-head when it is supporting the link a. I

On the under side of the lever, near the angle of the same, is an eye or staple, 01, through which passes a chain, D which extending up is secured at either end to the sides, near the end of the car, as shown in the drawing. I do not wish to confine myself to this device, however, for lifting the lever D, for it is obvious that a lever could he used for the same pur pose.

If desired, the lever D may be made rigid at its point of connection to the lug c and have an upward pressure, so as to keep the cone on the end thereof in a position to hold the linkin a horizontal line when the cars are not coupled, and serving as a wedge with a constant upward pressure between the drawheads when the cars are coupled, so as to prevent the same from rattlingor becoming loose. This construction would avoid the necessity for a chain. The links having been placed in the mouth of the draw-head and the other end placed on or over the apexof the truncated cone, the same having been drawn up,by means of the chain or otherwise, until the apex of the same is just in front of the mouth of the draw head, the cars are brought together, the link entering the mouth of the collidin g draw-head, and the cone being forced downward by the lateral'pressure on its beveled sides.

This invention is not only a very important improvement in life-savin g machinery in roll-.

ing stock, but its application would be a great saving of labor and trouble.

What I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-

1. A device for holding the link of a carcoupler on a horizontal line preparatory to coupling cars, consisting of a truncated cone or egg-shaped head affixed to the upright end of a lever adapted to automatically release said link when the draw-heads of two contiguous cars collide, in the manner hereinbefore described.

2. In a car-coupling, the combination, with a coupling-link, of a truncated cone or eggshaped head affixed to the vertical end of a lever which is pivoted to a lug a distance hack on the under side of the draw-head, substantially as and for the purpose hereinbefore described.

3. The combination, with a car-coupling in which a link is used, of a truncated cone affixed to the vertical end of a lever which pursues a short downward course, then horizon- 

